Oil cleaner



Aug. 26, 1947. A'. F. uNDERwooD OIL CLEANER Filed March 8, 1945 All Illa

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attorney @/W @MMM w Y YSWN lm f w w, f. y r ,.12% l v a. A/. ../L/ f -arr*f-Tff wf f f k y Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL CLEANER Arthur F. Underwood, Grosse Pointe, Mich., as-

sgnor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application March 8, 1945, Serial No. 581,653

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to oil cleaners. Prior to this invention it has been proposed to circulate a column of liquid such as oil under pressure through a spiral path and to separate contained air by an exit or exits at a point or points in the spiral path nearest the axis of the spiral, and to provide for the escape of heavier particles from a region adjacent the outermost part of the spiral path. In that connection I may refer to my application for oil cleaner Serial No. 503,881, led September 27, 1943. This invention may be described as an improvement over my earlier invention, the improvement consisting mainly in a new cross-sectional shape of the spiral path which is designed to effect a better separation of foreign matter. It also embodies the discovery that improved results are obtained by taking off the foreign matter at one end only of the spiral path.

Although the invention has been described for use in separating air and solid particles from oil it will be understood that the vinventive idea is not restricted to use with oil but that it may be app-lied Wherever a forced flow of uid medium needs to be freed from foreign substances.

Fig. 1 is a View in elevation of the improved cleaner installed in the lubricating system of an engine, the engine being shown in outline.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of the upper end of the cleaner.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the lower end of a modified but now preferred form.

The engine is indicated lby numeral l. The lubricating system includes an engine driven pump 9, and a delivery pipe IE. A container I3 is located between the pump 9 and the pipe An air vent l5 is provided in the container to permit the escape of air. Sediment may settle to the bottom. A tube Il extends vertically through the container. At its upper end it has a gasket I9 overlying a doubled over flange 2| around an opening in the upper wall of the container through which opening the tube extends. An apertured plug 23 is threaded to flange 2| and clamps the gasket I9 in place, there being a sealing ring at 25. Any suitable fitting secures pipe to plug 23. At the lower end a reduced part of tube l1 extends through an opening on the lower Wall of the container and is threaded to a closed plug 21'.

A spiral path for the ow of fluid through the container is formed by shaping the inner wall of tube I1 with a groove 21 of angular shape as shown. Within the tube I1 is a cylindrical member 29 terminating somewhat below Ithe upper end of tube I1 Where it is given an axial bore 3| closed by a plug 33. At its lower end the member 29 seats on a shoulder of tube Il as shown by Fig. 2'. The outer surface of part 29 is formed with an angularly shaped spiral groove 35. Grooves2'l and 35 register to form a spiral path. At the lower end of the assembly as described, a pipe 31 extends from the pump through the wall of the container and communicates by any suitable fitting 39 with the said spiral path.

The fluid under pressure from the pump is thus forced through lthe spiral path which extend-s to a position nearvthe end of tube l1 whence it is transmitted by pipe to the parts to be lubricated.

Near the upper end of the assembly a passage 4| leads to the central passage 3| from a part of the passage 35 nearest the axis. From the central passage a conduit 43 extends through parts 29 and l1 to the chamber of the container. Also near the passage 4| there is a passage 45 extending tangentially to the spiral passage through the wall of tube Il and opening into the chamber of container I3.

As the oil is forced through the spiral passage the influence of centrifugal force causes the air to collect adjacent the axis and the sediment is carried to the outer region. When the region marked by line 4 4 is reached the heavier particles escape through tangential passage 45 and collect at the bottom of the container. The air passes through passages 4| and `43, and its 'escape H is provided by the vent I5.

A somewhat more eilicient modication is illustrated by Fig. 5. In this form the spiral passage is developed by providing grooves in three concentric members 5|, 53, 455. The outermost part is a hollow tube 5|. It rests on the lower wall 5l of the container. Its part of the spiral passage is substantially semi-circular in cross section. The intermediate part 53 has a reduced lower end 59 extending through wall 5l where it is clamped by a nut 6|. The outermost part of its contribution to the spiral path is substantially semi-cir cular to make, together with the semi-circular groove in part 5|, a groove of circular cross section. The other part of its contribution is of angular formation, it having two faces terminating in an apex marked 63 which merges into the circular part. The inner member 55 rests on a shoulder of part `53. It has a similar angular faced passage to match with that of part 53 making together a sort of hexagonal formation with an apex in that part nearest the axis as at 6l'.

It is unnecessary to illustrate the upper end. There will be outlets extending tangentially from the circular part of the passage for the escape of dirt and a passage from the apex 61 to a central passage (like 3l) for the escape of air. This preferred form provides a narrow opening between the sloping walls of the hexagonal part and the outer circular part so that the solid particles are readily discharged into this circular region and, trapped therein, travel until they reach their escape outlet. To effect the best results the crosssectional area is made as large as possible, the outer V-shaped wall facilitating the escape of solid particles to the circular part, and the inner V-shaped wall providing for a movement oi air to a position closely adjacent to the central axis to facilitate its escape to the passage in that axis as shown by Fig. 3.

I claim:

1. For freeing from foreign matter a uid column flowing under pressure, means having angular walls forming a spiral path for the passage of said fluid, inlet and outlet means leading to and extending from said spiral path respectively conduit means adjacent one end of said path and in open communication with its radially innermost part to permit the escape of air and other conduit means adjacent said iirst conduit means and in open communication with the radially outermost part of said path to permit the escape of solid particles.

2. The invention dened by claim 1, the angular walls converging to an apex at the region nearest the axis of the spiral path.

3. The invention defined by claim l, said other conduit means extending tangentially from the spiral path.

4. The invention defined by claim l, said path having a radially inner region which is hexagonal in section with an apex adjacent the axis and a radi-ally outer region circular in section and having a restricted communication with the inner region whereby relatively heavy particles circulate in the outer region and relatively light particles circulate in the inner region.

5. A iluid cleaner adapted for being used between a source of pressure and a utility conduit, said cleaner including an outer shell, an intermediate shell and an inner cylinder, said outer shell having on its inner wall a spiral groove, said inner cylinder having on its outer wall a spiral groove, said intermediate shell having in its outer wall a spiral groove matching the spiral groove of the outer shell and also having on its inner wall a spiral groove matching the spiral groove of the inner cylinder, the two grooves of the intermediate shell Communicating throughout their lengthA whereby radially outer and radially inner spiral paths are formed, inlet means for connecting said source to one pair of adjacent ends of said spiral paths, outlet means for connecting the other ends of said spiral paths to said utility conduit, first conduit means leading from adja- Vcent the outlet end of the spiral path formed by the outer and intermediate shells to permit the escape of solid particles and second conduit means leading from adjacent said outlet end of the spiral path formed by the cylinder and the intermediate shell to permit the escape of gases.

6. The invention defined by claim 5, said parts forming a path which in cross section is outwardly circular and inwardly angular with an apex at the region nearest the axis of the spiral path.

7. The invention dened by claim 5, the matching grooves of the outer and intermediate parts form a path circular in section and the matching grooves of the intermediate and inner parts forming a path hexagonal in shape.

ARTHUR F. UNDERWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,889,273 Pardee et al. Oct. 4, 1932 1,335,899 Kahlenberg Apr. 6, 1920 1,459,925 Olin June 26, 1923 972,281 Stamets Oct, 1l, 1910 972,282 Stamets Oct, 11, 1910 FOREIGN PA'ihN IS Number Country Date 607,957 France Apr. 9, 1926 

